DLA - Newsletter

Newsletter Nº 03 - June 2011


	[ LOCAL NEWS] Greece

	1 · There is a large scale discussion and important decision are taken concerning digital agenda in Greece overall. Recently, a new law has been enforced that allows and promotes formal electronic transactions among citizens and public authorities and among public sector authorities themselves. Given this new framework a crucial roadmap for the implementation of the digital era is being prepared and will be issued within the 3th quarter of 2011. Moreover, Western Greece has been administratively reformed from 1 January 2011, in accordance with the Kallikratis plan (Law 3852/2010). The administrative system of Greece was drastically overhauled. The former system of 13 peripheries, 54 prefectures and 1033 municipalities and communities was replaced by 7 decentralized administrations, 13 peripheries and 325 municipalities. The peripheries and municipalities are fully self-governed. The number of municipalities in Western Greece is significantly decreased. As a consequence, the administrative stakeholders of the local digital agenda have got a new law framework to discuss and work with us during the preparations and re-form of the digital local agenda.

	2 · The Territorial Observatory of the Mediterranean Regions (OTREMED) is a tool to strength the competitivity facing economical globalization and it is within INTERREG IV MED Programme. It begins from the need to provide public bodies with competence in spatial planning a tool to facilitate decision making for the territorial governance, consistent with the structure and the dynamics associated with uniqueness of the Mediterranean. 13 actions consistent with the sustainable and balanced development of the territory will be carried out. Its capitalization will pour into whole MED space and will improve the territorial competitiveness, according to the MED Program objectives. This action is carried out by University of Patras. The idea of this task is the Capitalisation of previous work already finished where the different Mediterranean territorial structures are covered. As this work result various models of typologies has to be treated at the three project/s s les: regional, urban expansion and consolidated urban areas; subjects covered by the project such as social, demographic, economic, cultural, lands pe, environmental and infrastructural aspects will be analysed. Patras will be able to count with partnership collaboration. Patras can design a questionnaire for gathering useful information from partners/experiences. In the same way any partner can contact directly with Patras to send them works whose results are in coherence with Otremed/s aims.

	3 · The Federation of Hellenic Information Technology and Communications Enterprises (SEPE) along with the Association of Greek Tourist Enterprises (SETE) are implementing α project in order to enforce the cooperation between ICT and Tourism SMEs. The project is implemented within the context Action 2005/33: "Enhancing the cooperation between ICT suppliers and SMEs at regional Level" of the European Commission, with title "Developing a cooperation framework between ICT and Tourism providers in Greece" and aims to foster such much - needed changes for the exploitation of ICT in Τourism SMEs by developing a cooperation framework between ICT and Tourism providers in Greece. A success in developing such a cooperation framework between the two principal providers in their field in Greece - SEPE & SETE - will be beneficial to their members in the terms of providing the necessary know - how and support which is vital as far as the integration of Ιnformation Τechnologies in the SMEs' day to day business is concerned. The aforementioned could be illustrated by specific objectives, which are: To facilitate the tourist trade To foster cooperation between official ICT and Tourism bodies To study the opportunities for joint operations between official ICT and Tourism bodies To provide a knowledge framework for both Tourism and ICT SMEs To develop an Informational portal for the diffusion of knowledge To issue specific guidelines for the ICT exploitation for Tourism industry SMEs. To transfer know - how and disseminate the present project results by organizing a conference. The action shall run for 10 months. The European Commission shall contribute the 50% of the estimated total costs.